


I'm Here to Protect the Bard

by Rainbow820



Series: Geraskier Week 2020 [5]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Day 5: Realisation, Geraskier Week, Lot of Geralt's thoughts, M/M, Scent Kink, really sappy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:34:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22796374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbow820/pseuds/Rainbow820
Summary: Geralt of Rivia puts up with a young bard who follows him around seeking glory. He comes to understand however that there is a lot to Jaskier that he does not know. And he wants to know- oh how he wants to know his bard.Or Geralt and Jaskier wander the continent and Geralt makes a lot of realizations about Jaskier, himself, and them together.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Series: Geraskier Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1634809
Comments: 1
Kudos: 181





	I'm Here to Protect the Bard

Geralt sighs as his wipes werewolf blood from his hands. He’d delivered the head and Jaskier had started to sing to earn them more coin.

“Woah- this Silk was woven with the finest care in Temaria using the strongest spiders to Ah” Jaskier’s shrill voice rings out. 

Geralt sighs and returns to the bar to see him against a wall someone crowding him.

“You strutting around putting yourself on display like this while you Witcher isn’t here” the man sneers.

“He is here” Geralt growls darkly. “And if he had walked in here naked you would still have no right to touch him” Geralt snarls teeth bared and the man yelps and runs.

Geralt turns back to see Jaskier sliding a knife back into his sleeve and grin up at Geralt.

“Thank you, my friend” Jaskier cheers and wanders back onto a table to sing.

“What did he mean by on display?” Geralt asks a barmaid. He shouldn’t care but by all rights, Jaskier is dressed like he always is.

“Oh well, I certainly wouldn’t be putting my chemise on display like that. Not without someone like you to watch my back” she says and Geralt’s mind freezes.

Jaskier has been walking around displaying himself like a whore might undo the laces of her bodice.

Jaskier sits down beside him flush from his dance and orders food. “Why do you dress like this?” Geralt asks.

“Hmm oh well you know my mother disapproved heavily, said it made me look common. So I did it and it so much less stuffy buttoned up. Plus it does help when I actually do want attention” Jaskier laughs knocking shoulders with him.

So easy and casual like Geralt couldn’t kill him with a shoulder check back.

“You should be more careful, what if I wasn’t here?” Geralt asks and Jaskier slides the knife back out.

“I’m not that foolish Geralt,” he says lowly and the twinkle in his eyes goes out.

Geralt watches him slide it back fluidly and turn to the food presented to him. Maybe his bard was not so helpless.

* * *

Geralt turns hearing someone run up behind them as they settle Roach into the stables.

“Master Dandelion” they cheer. It’s a group of young people no older looking than Jaskier.

“Oh, my faithful students” Jaskier cheers back.

“A year of teaching us do you really count” one girl grins but throws her arms around him as well.

Geralt does not like them hanging off Jaskier but they are laughing and he has a true grin on his face.

“Ah, where are my manners. Geralt these are the wonderful young minds I had the honor of filling with the knowledge of the seven arts and they took it all in like flowers to sun” Jaskier proclaims. “And my lovely blossoms this is my esteemed companion the white wolf, Geralt of Rivia” he announces playfully.

“Master Witcher,” they say bowing their heads.

“Might we borrow him an afternoon?” The girl asks.

“He’s not mine” Geralt growls out but watches them snicker.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” she says a glint in her eyes as she runs off with her friends and Jaskier.

Geralt returns that night from collecting ingredients to see the children gathered as Jaskier explains something about the stars.

“I didn’t know you knew about astronomy,” Geralt says as the children are taken home.

“Master Dandelion is a master of the seven liberal arts. We only really got through the grammar part of the trivium in his class and started on dialectic. But he left. He comes and lectures on these things” the girl who seems to be the head of the group explains.

Jaskier smiles at Geralt and shrugs. “My father sent me when I was 13 to learn arithmetic. I pleaded with him to let me take all seven. Anything to stay home. Gods how I hated dialectic” he sighs shaking his head.

“Well, you’re not one for logic” Geralt teases and Jaskier lets out a startled laugh and turns to the others.

“I bid you ado my sweet flowers. Never stop learning” he says and falls in stride with Geralt.

“I did not know you were a master of the seven liberal arts,” Geralt says and Jaksier shrugs.

“Oxenfurt has dozens of them” he grins and Geralt watches him stride ahead to pet Roach.

A bard that is good with a dagger and a well-respected master of Oxenfurt. Geralt has a thought as to which faculty Jaskier might belong to.

He never really gave much thought to how intelligent his bard is.

* * *

Geralt was correct of course. Very rarely is he wrong about these sorts of observations.

He watches Jaskier from the balcony he climbed to grab him from a bastard count who killed his half brothers to get the position.

He watches specifically how Jaskier kind the count easily using the sheets to tangle him and presses a knife to his throat. Trained in fighting in a bed but not an assassin.

He’s a spy.

“Where are the wills?” he asks words soft as he leans in and the lord struggles. “I will find them one way or another but you may live this way” Jaksier threatens and Geralt knows it is a lie.

No spy lets someone live once they’ve been made as a spy. The lord doesn’t and tells Jaskier where in the castle he can find the stashed wills. Jaskier sits back and the lord laughs saying it doesn’t matter as he will die.

Geralt is startled however when Jaskier uncorks a wine bottle from the nightstand that smells so heavily of nightshade it almost makes him gag.

The lord struggles but Jaskier forced it down his throat without blinking. He climbs off the body that is taking its final breaths and turns to Geralt.

“Going to help me look?” He asks not at all shocked to see him.

“Faculty of Most Contemporary History” Geralt states- an accusation.

“More like the Faculty of Comparative Spying and Applied Sabotage” Jaskier laughs and leans him along.

Geralt realizes then that his bard has no love of the faculty. He is doing this for a reason. Most likely to protect his own life.

He never thought about why Jaskier seems to aim for nobles and the wealthy specifically- he knows now.

* * *

Jaskier is drinking ale and tuning his lute when he hears the commotion.

Geralt is being surrounded by guards and papers are being presented and fuck- Ferrant. Geralt is being set up.

“I didn’t do anything of the sort. Give me my swords” Geralt snarls.

“The law will” Ferrant begins and he’s clocked in the jaw. Guards whirl- swords pointed but Ferrant waves them off.

“Julian still as temperamental as ever” he sneers.

“Ferrant still as deplorable and treacherous as ever” Jaskier sneers right back.

Geralt watches ready to defend Jaskier from the man calling him Julian and glaring angrily.

He doesn’t expect Jaskier and him to collide in a hug patting each other on the backs.

“Please not him Ferrant. I know you have your orders but I really don’t wanna waste my coin and expend my credit in this city” Jaskier pleads with him.

“For you cousin, I can let him remain out of shackles. If you attend dinner with me I’ll even give him his swords” Ferrant says.

“For him cousin, I would give you my title” Jaskier vows.

“You’d give the barmaid your title if it meant you never had to return for the tax collection again” Ferrant scoffs but snaps his fingers and the guards step away.

They follow Jaskier and Ferrant up towards the castle.

Geralt feels disoriented and grips his swords closer watching that man, Jaskier’s cousin lead him away.

They have the same cornflower blue eyes. Geralt never have much thought to Jaskier’s family. Thought him an orphan it would make sense but here he is arm thrown around his cousin laughing about hunting of all things.

Geralt stands and turns back towards the stables. Jaskier had punched his cousin for him and then gotten him off whatever charges he was faced with.

He lets Roach nudge him and he thinks maybe Jaskier can do more than sing.

* * *

Geralt doesn’t need anyone. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t want his bard.

His bard who dances around him shrouded in mystery. His little lark who sings about him and winks at him and leaves his chemise undone in front of him showing off lots of chest hair.

The smell of him all the time so strong invading every part of his brain. Gods he can’t think around him.

Jaskier must know what he does to him. He’s so smart, so observant, so perfect-

Oh.

Geralt looks over his shoulder at Jaskier preparing his outfit for the ball he’s dragging him to and his heart clenches.

“Jaskier” he growls out lowly and the bard looks up presenting him a truly god awful outfit. At least it’s dark.

“Yes, Geralt?” Jaskier asks tilting his head and blinking those beautiful eyes.

Geralt can’t think of anything to say staring at him and just glares at the jacket Jaskier is holding. He climbs from the bath and towels himself off.

He lets Jaskier comb his hair and hum. All he can think about doing is breathing in the scent on his wrists and sucking on the pulse.

He gets dressed and lets Jaskier fuss with him all the way to the castle. “Are you vying for the princess’s hand?” Geralt asks.

“Me?” Jaskier asks with a laugh.

“Your cousin mentioned lands” Geralt shifts awkwardly.

“Ah yes. Well, I am a viscount a rather wealthy one at that. But my lands are far from here. In Redania just south of Blaviken actually” Jaksier says and freezes at that. “Anyways we are the only trading post that will allow people of Novigrad to pass through and as such we have their military protection. No, I need no connections to Cintra” Jaskier smiles softly and Geralt feels a weight lifted off his chest.

“Have you done this before?” Geralt asks.

“An engagement ball?“ Jaskier asks and Geralt nods. “I suppose, but I was already engaged” Jaskier shrugs and Geralt feels his heart stutter.

“Engaged?” He asks not really wanting to hear.

“Yes to my Countess de Stael when I was fifteen. She awoke my love of poetry and promptly kicked me out on my ass and back to Oxenfurt. We have a long-standing arrangement. When my father dies if I am not already wed again or happy at least and neither is she we will wed” Jaskier shrugs his blue eyes meeting Geralt’s golden ones.

There is a message there. A hint and Geralt wants to ask him. He’s never wanted to talk to him so much before but they’ve reached the gates.

Geralt is immediately, of course, drawn away from Jaskier and he can not stand by his bard all night. He would go deaf.

He stops Mousesack mid-sentence seeing Jaskier cornered by a baron.

“Step back” Geralt orders with a growl.

“He slept with my wife” the man cries out.

“He’s mine and whether or not you think he did such a thing I do not allow people to harm what’s mine” Geralt growls darkly. He nearly whines at scent of pure arousal from Jaskier and looks up at his eyes. The lord looks between them and scampers off.

Jaskier steps forward and Geralt hears the thumping of his heart so loud in his ears.

Geralt turns to make sure everyone is watching and drags Jaskier into a kiss biting at his lip and lifting him slightly against him. Not that he needs to- how did he never notice how tall Jaskier is.

His mouth slides open and Jaksier doesn’t hesitate to slide his tongue in, caressing Geralt’s with it.

They pull back and Geralt stares at his bard's swollen lips and flushed face and his fast rising and falling chest.

“After,” Jaksier says and with a squeeze of his hand strolls back to the fellow bards and is laughing with them as if Geralt did not kiss the air from his lungs and breathe life anew inside him.

Calanthe walks in and cheers for beer and berates her daughter's weakness. Aw balls how she hates them.

The Witcher comes to sit with her and refuses her request for aid.

“I’m here to protect the bard,” Geralt tells her and she watches his gaze to find that bard leading all the others.

She knows he was famous it’s why she had him hired. Didn’t realize he’d be bringing a Witcher with him.

* * *

Geralt holds his hands over his face and sits on the bed in the inn. Why did he say that? Oh, gods.

“Geralt” Jaskier’s soft voice says and he kneels in front of him. “My sweet wolf let me see you” he whispers and Geralt drops his hands.

He looks up at Jaskier and he breaks. He starts crying and Jaskier climbs into his lap pressing his face into his neck and petting his hair.

“It’s okay let it out my wolf,” Jaskier says and Geralt does. All of it.

He stops eventually his head throbbing and he looks up into Jaskier’s eyes filled with so much kindness and love.

He’s never seen that before. He’s seen the spark of excitement, feral wild anger, calculated and controlled coldness, but never so much love.

“I-I can’t” Geralt whispers.

“You will one day. Until then I can keep tabs for you my lovely Witcher” Jaskier purrs to him.

“Why?” Geralt asks.

“Oh don’t you know already Geralt. I love you” he says with a smile.

“I love you too little lark so much” Geralt chokes out and sniffs wiping at the wetness in Jaskier’s neck and shoulder.

Jaskier presses their lips together and Geralt leans in happy as one can be at the thought of having his songbird all to himself.

He presses his face to the other side of Jaskier’s neck and inhales calmed by the scent.

“Lay back and let me take care of you tonight my wolf. You took care of me so wonderfully tonight” Jaskier whispers and Geralt leans back and lets himself be stripped.

Jaskier presses a kiss to his hip and drags his teeth down his thigh as he pulls his pants off, fingers nails digging down the other one.

Geralt gasps his skin on fire anywhere Jaskier touches him.

“Lie back my sweetest muse” Jaskier whispers to him and Geralt can’t rip his eyes away from Jaskier as he begins laying bites on his thighs. “I must sing of your body my wolf, I must proclaim it to all how you are sculpted from marble,” Jaskier tells him.

Geralt looks at his spit slick lips and groans. “You are good at describing monsters as if they are tragic romantic beasts” Geralt huffs and Jaskier squeezes his legs. Geralt meets his eyes once more and the look in them.

“I prostrate myself at your feet and I offer myself to you. You are my deliverance Geralt of Rivia” Jaskier says to him like a prayer and Geralt whines his throat tightening and his body thrums with need.

Jaskier takes him into his mouth and Geralt grasps the sheets so hard they tear. “Jaskier, Jask please” Geralt half sobs and his legs are spread.

He smells the oil before he feels it and Jaskier’s fingers inside him. It’s not enough, he needs Jaskier in him.

Geralt pants and squirms- his body is on fire and he needs more. He wants an inferno.

Jaskier pulls his fingers away and Geralt cries out clenching around nothing before Jaskier slides into him.

“Oh-oh” he pants and Jaskier smells so good.

“You’re so warm. You feel like the sun my wolf, I want you to burn me away” Jaskier pants in his ear and Geralt just paws at his shoulder and tries to draw him closer.

Jaskier pulls back and adjusts his angle before moving back into Geralt. Geralt keens and arches his back- light exploding behind his eyes as Jaskier swallows his whines with a kiss. Greedily keeping them for himself as he fucks- no makes love to Geralt.

“I love you” Geralt gasps out and Jaskier is panting in his ear. “I love you so much my lark” Geralt mumbles teeth grazing Jaskier’s shoulder as he leans over him.

Geralt wants to burn away here with Jaskier surrounding him, loving him, being one with him.

They finish together and Jaskier falls to the side of him. A warm cloth is used to clean him and Geralt feels like he is floating as Jaksier kisses his jaw.

“I love you. I cherish you, I adore you, I worship you” Jaskier pants into his ear and Geralt knows they are not sweet nothings.

His songbird really feels that way.

Geralt knows now that his soul and heart belong to Jaskier. The realization that all he is belongs to his bard makes his heart flood with warmth and his hands shake with the force of the thought.

“I love you” he restates with as much feeling as he can manage. And from the glint in Jaskier’s eyes, he thinks he conveyed himself just fine.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed reading that one. It was a good time to write and man do I love how this turned out. I'm super excited for tomorrow's found family cause I get to throw more book knowledge at you guys as well so stay tuned. Also please point out any big errors I wrote this one quite late. 
> 
> Love, 
> 
> Rainbow820


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